-Kenzo

Pokemon Journeys has a new manga coming our way this Fall! Pokemon Journeys is currently finding its stride as Ash Ketchum and new hero Goh make their way through not only the new Galar region from Pokemon Sword and Shield, but through every single region from the franchise's past. It's been a big hit for fans as it reunites Ash with all sorts of past characters and ideas, and with Goh's addition to the series, the franchise is showing off these older releases in a brand new light. Soon fans will have an all new way to enjoy the series. Viz Media has announced that this Fall, a new Pokemon Journeys manga series (which is most likely in the same vein as the famous Pokemon Adventures manga series) will be launching in English. They revealed the cover for the first volume of the series that will be tackling Ash and Goh's adventures through the world much like the anime series has. Check it out below: Viz Media also announced another addition to the Pokemon manga world with a comedic gag series scheduled to release in the same Fall 2021 schedule, Pokémon Pocket Comics: Sun & Moon Pokemon Journeys: The Series is currently running stronger than ever in Japan, but fans in North America have been taken by surprise as Netflix has announced a release date for what they refer to as the final episodes of the series. Releasing on March 5th, this final batch of episodes for the series has fans scratching their heads as to what could come next considering new episodes of the series are still releasing in Japan.Fans are theorizing that a repackaging of the series is on the way as it enters a new era (much like previous releases for the anime), but what do you think? How are you liking Pokemon Journeys so far? Excited to check out this new manga version of the series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or you can even reach out to me directly about all things animated and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!

Yesterday, Nvidia announced that the RTX 3060 would limit hashing power when it detected Ethereum mining, but Nvidia was oddly specific about Ethereum. That made us wonder: What about other coins? After all, Ethereum isn't the only crypto coin out there, and new coins and algorithms come out on a regular basis. As it turns out, we were right to wonder about this. The RTX 3060 implements vBIOS and driver protections to detect when it is mining Ethereum. But as found by YouTuber CryptoLeo, it will still happily mine other coins, as if it has no idea that it's still mining coins at full power... because... well... it doesn't know better. Leo tested a Pre-NDA RTX 3060 GPU with coins such as Octopus, Cortex, and a handful more, and found that with the first two the GPU is still able to generate about $6.5 in profits per day... which is enough to still make it attractive to miners, and not what gamers were hoping for. Of course, these coins aren't as po[CENSORED]r as Ethereum due to overall lower profitability, so it makes sense that Nvidia targeted Ethereum coin mining with the hashing limiter. But it makes you wonder: Was it all just a complicated PR stunt to regain some po[CENSORED]rity with gamers? Of course, we're all asking ourselves the same question, but the solution isn't quite that simple. Creating a general limiting algorithm for when crypto-mining behavior is detected is harder than one would think for one simple reason: How do you make it distinguish between coin mining and other non-gaming GPU workloads that can look like mining, such as machine learning, cryptography, or graphical work with Adobe products? Maybe that last one is easier, but GPUs are fully programmable for a reason. As a result, if the Ethereum protocol were to change even slightly, for example, the update to Ethereum 2.0 with the new Proof-of-Stake mining model, the entire mining limiter would likely cease to be useful. But that's still quite a ways away, so the main issue, for now, remains other profitable coins and the risk of someone finding a workaround for the in-vBIOS detection. We're scratching our heads about how well the measure will be useful to limiting the RTX 3060's appeal to miners. I suppose we'll have to wait and see to find out. The RTX 3060 is slated to launch on the 25th of February for $329 — but we all know it's going to cost a lot more than that, especially if miners do set their sights on it. The Ampere GPUs were already selling out faster than Nvidia could make them before the recent surge in mining profitability, and the underlying problem (not enough supply) isn't going away any time soon.

The semiconductor crunch that has battered the auto sector leaves car makers with a stark choice: pay up, stock up or risk getting stuck on the sidelines as chipmakers focus on more lucrative business elsewhere. Car manufacturers including Volkswagen, Ford and General Motors have cut output as the chip market was swept clean by makers of consumer electronics such as smartphones - the chip industry's preferred customers because they buy more advanced, higher-margin chips. The semiconductor shortage - more than $800 (roughly R11,644) worth of silicon is packed into a modern electric vehicle - has exposed the disconnect between an auto industry spoilt by decades of just-in-time deliveries and an electronics industry supply chain it can no longer bend to its will. “The car sector has been used to the fact that the whole supply chain is centred on cars,” said McKinsey partner Ondrej Burkacky. “What has been overlooked is that semiconductor makers actually do have an alternative.” Automakers are responding to the shortage by lobbying governments to subsidise the construction of more chip-making capacity. In Germany, Volkswagen has pointed the finger at suppliers, saying it gave them timely warning last April - when much global car production was idled due to the coronavirus pandemic - that it expected demand to recover strongly in the second half of the year. That complaint by the world's No 2 volume car maker cuts little ice with chipmakers, who say the auto industry is both quick to cancel orders in a slump and to demand investment in new production in a recovery. “Last year we had to furlough staff and bear the cost of carrying idle capacity,” said a source at one European semiconductor maker, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “If the car makers are asking us to invest in new capacity, can they please tell us who will pay for that idle capacity in the next downturn?” Low-tech customer: The auto industry spends about $40bn (roughly R582,242,000,000) a year on chips - about a tenth of the global market. By comparison, Apple spends more on chips just to make its iPhones, Mirabaud tech analyst Neil Campling reckons. Moreover, the chips used in cars tend to be basic products such as micro controllers made under contract at older foundries - hardly the leading-edge production technology in which chipmakers would be willing to invest. “The suppliers are saying: 'If we continue to produce this stuff there is nowhere else for it to go. Sony isn't going to use it for a PlayStation 5 or Apple for its next iPhone'," said Asif Anwar at Strategy Analytics. Chipmakers were surprised by the panicked reaction of the German car industry, which persuaded economy minister Peter Altmaier to write a letter in January to his counterpart in Taiwan to ask its semiconductor makers to supply more chips. No extra supplies were forthcoming, with one German industry source joking that the Americans stood a better chance of getting more chips from Taiwan because they could at least park an aircraft carrier off the coast - referring to the ability of the US to project power in Asia. Closer to home, a source at another European chipmaker expressed disbelief at the poor understanding at one car maker of how it operates. “We got a call from one automaker that was desperate for supply. They said: Why don't you run a night shift to increase production?” this person said. “What they didn't understand is that we have been running a night shift since the beginning.” No quick fix: While Infineon, the leading supplier of chips to the global auto industry, and Robert Bosch, the top “Tier 1" parts supplier, both plan to commission new chip plants this year, there is little chance of supply shortages easing soon. Specialist chipmakers like Infineon outsource some production of automotive chips to contract manufacturers led by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC), but the Asian foundries are currently prioritising high-end electronics makers as they come up against capacity constraints. Over the longer term, the relationship between chip makers and the car industry will become closer as electric vehicles are more widely adopted and features such as assisted and autonomous driving develop, requiring more advanced chips. But, in the short term, there is no quick fix for the lack of chip supply: IHS Markit estimates that the time it takes to deliver a microcontroller has doubled to 26 weeks and shortages will only bottom out in March. That puts the production of 1 million light vehicles at risk in the first quarter, says IHS Markit. European chip industry executives and analysts agree that supply will not catch up with demand until later in the year. Chip shortages are having a “snowball effect” as automakers idle some capacity to prioritise building profitable models, said Anwar at Strategy Analytics, who forecasts a drop in car production in Europe and North America of 5%-10% in 2021. The head of Franco-Italian chipmaker STMicroelectronics, Jean-Marc Chery, forecasts capacity constraints will affect car makers until mid-year. “Up to the end of the second quarter, the industry will have to manage at the lean inventory level,” Chery told a recent Goldman Sachs conference.

Pakistan will push for this year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be shifted to the United Arab Emirates if India doesn’t provide a written assurance that the national cricket team, its fans and journalists will be granted visas for the event, said Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ehsan Mani on Friday. The PCB chairman was speaking to reporters at the PCB’s headquarters in Lahore when he stated the board had communicated these intentions to the International Cricket Council (ICC). “There is a need to change the ‘Big Three’ mindset,” Mani said. “We are not seeking written assurance for the visas of the national team only, but for the fans, officials and journalists as well." “The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) lures the other cricket boards through money," alleged Mani, adding that the PCB had made its intentions clear to stakeholders — within and outside the country — that "we plan to run our cricket without India.” The PCB chairman said the board was hopeful that all of its cricketers would get vaccinated by the month of March and revealed that the upper brass was in contact with the National Command Operation Centre, which is coordinating Pakistan's coronavirus response. He highlighted the board’s efforts of hosting international cricket — which saw tours from Zimbabwe for three ODIs and as many T20Is and South Africa for two Tests and three T20Is — and an entire domestic season despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Mani revealed that the PCB did not seek the ICC’s assistance in the resumption of cricketing activities and played a crucial role in the resumption of the game in the post-Covid-19 world. He lamented Cricket Australia’s decision to not send its men’s team to South Africa and said, “At the peak of the virus in England in the summer of 2020, the Pakistan men’s team toured England." Had they — and the West Indies — not done so, it would have cost, according to him, "[the] England and Wales Cricket Board around 3.5 million pounds". "Similarly, had India not travelled to Australia it would have made Cricket Australia face heavy losses.” Responding to a question about the Asia Cup, the PCB chairman said that Sri Lanka Cricket had created a window for the event, which would be held in the T20I format because of the T20 World Cup this year, in June, but it might get further postponed if India qualifies for the World Test Championship final in the same month in London. Reflecting on the revamp of the domestic cricket structure that took place in August 2019 and has seen two seasons being played under it, Mani said it was important that this structure is given three to five years to flourish. He revealed that the interim committee at the Cricket Association level will be installed by next month. He also expressed his desire that Wasim Khan, the chief executive of the PCB who is now in the last year of his tenure, will spend three more years on the job. “Wasim has played a crucial role in the complete resumption of international cricket in the country and I hope he will continue to serve Pakistan cricket for three more years,” said Mani.

Rebellion have brought their co-op focused horde shooter, Zombie Army 4: Dead War, to Steam. Zombie Army 4: Dead War is the latest installment in Rebellion’s Nazi zombie spin-off series to their hit WWII sniper stealth-action franchise, Sniper Elite. The game launched in February 2020 on the Epic Games Store and consoles, and has now made its way to Steam. Like previous games in the series, up to four friends can team up to fight hordes of undead Nazis after Hitler unleashes his ultimate weapon to turn the tide against the Allies. You can find the new Steam release trailer below. Hitler’s hordes are back for more in this spine-chilling shooter from the makers of Sniper Elite 4! Abominable occult enemies, epic weapons and a harrowing new campaign for 1-4 players await in 1940s Europe, as you fight to save humankind from undead Armageddon! Shocking New Campaign The resistance have defeated Zombie Hitler and cast him into Hell – but the dead rise once again with greater hunger than before! Continue the alternate history of Zombie Army Trilogy in huge new levels, and uncover a sinister plan that takes the Survivor Brigade across Italy and beyond! Fight the forces of darkness in corpse-riddled canals, survive a Zombie Zoo, and journey to dark, inexplicable places no person has been before…and lived to tell the tale! Award-Winning Gunplay Experience the genre-defining ballistics Rebellion made famous in the Sniper Elite series, and put it to good use against the shambling hordes of the damned! Upgraded Kill Cams and Dismemberment The X-Ray Kill Camera returns! Watch in gory-ous slow motion as bullets, bombs and more destroy bones and organs in X-ray. Marvel as your bullets tear off a rotten limb or two, and shiver as the dead KEEP COMING! Deep Progression and Customisation Build the slayer that suits you as you rank up! Fancy yourself a guardian angel? Take damage for your teammates! Like that turret so much? Why not take it with you? Then kill in style as you unlock new outfits, emotes and taunts! Killer Melee When the dead surround you, fight back with enhanced melee combat! Barge through crowds, stomp on heads and dispatch the living dead with fearsome takedown moves! Epic Weaponry Harness the power of fire, lightning, and divine essence to upgrade your guns at workbenches, and create homespun hell raisers! An assault rifle that shoots lightning? A pistol with a flaming Bayonet? Anything goes in humankind’s last stand! Monstrous Multitudes Take on legions of ghoulish grabbers, hulking armoured elites, terrifying shadow demons, explosive suicide generals and a host of other surprises! When you’re staring down the fleshy barrel of a ZOMBIE TANK, you’ll wish you’d stayed behind the sofa! Bigger, Badder Horde Mode Extend your SLAYcation in the expanded Horde Mode. The longer you survive, the bigger the map gets. How long can you fight back without joining the horde of the LIVING DEAD? Extend Your Slay-Cation! Want more? Additional seasons of Zombie Army 4 are out now! Unveil the secrets of the occult in the new 3-part ‘Hell Cult’ campaign and face off against the terror of the skies in the horrifying ‘Death From Above’! From extra missions to new characters, weapons and more, get ready to blow apart your undead foes in new and terrifying ways!

By using cloud technology, the software platform will ensure that vehicles' control units and computers can get software throughout their life time, the German auto supplier said. We are thus creating the conditions for wireless updates to work just as smoothly and conveniently on vehicles as they do on smartphones. BERLIN: Bosch will work with Microsoft on a software platform for vehicles, it said on Thursday, as it strives to get a foot in the door to the fast-growing market for electromobility and automated driving technologies. By using cloud technology, the software platform will ensure that vehicles' control units and computers can get software throughout their life time, the German auto supplier said. The technology is based on Microsoft Azure and includes software modules from Bosch, it said, adding that they plan to use the software platform in vehicle prototypes by the end of 2021. "We are thus creating the conditions for wireless updates to work just as smoothly and conveniently on vehicles as they do on smartphones," said Bosch Managing Director Markus Heyn. The companies will also cooperate to adapt existing software tools to let automakers and suppliers to simplify and accelerate their own software updates. Last week, German carmaker Volkswagen AG announced a similar cooperation with Microsoft to use its cloud computing services to help it streamline its software development efforts for self-driving cars.

A year ago, investors had pretty much given up the big global carmakers for dead. Shares of Daimler, General Motors and Ford Motor were at 10-year lows. Electric vehicle start-ups without any sales were sometimes worth more than traditional automakers with tens of thousands of employees and factories all over the world. The pandemic looked as if it would seal the dinosaurs’ fate. But it turns out the old behemoths may not be doomed just yet. Earnings reported by Daimler on Thursday underlined a remarkable comeback by some traditional carmakers. These companies have managed to survive the pandemic, reorient to electric vehicles and convince stock market investors that they are not going to let Tesla take their customers without a fight. Daimler shares have tripled since hitting a low point in March, and rose again Thursday after the company said net profit for the year increased almost 50 percent to 4 billon euros, or $4.8 billion, from 2019.General Motors’ shares have also nearly tripled since March. The company beat analysts’ expectations last week when it reported net profit for the fourth quarter of $2.8 billion, against a loss a year earlier. In addition to making more money than investors thought was possible in a year of turmoil, the two companies, which date to the early 20th century, have been making decisions that show they grasp the technological changes upending the industry. G.M. shifted perceptions of its commitment to electric vehicles when it said last month that it would phase out vehicles powered by fossil fuels by 2035. Daimler shares spiked after the company said this month that it would split its car and truck divisions into separate companies, each with its own stock listing. Daimler, based in Stuttgart, Germany, makes Mercedes-Benz luxury cars and Freightliner trucks. Ola Källenius, the Daimler chief executive, said the decision to break up the company was intended to give managers more freedom to react to technological change. “As the speed of the transformation of the auto industries is picking up,” Mr. Källenius said in an interview, “decision-making speed is crucial.” G.M.’s promise to swear off fossil fuels, though not for another 14 years, set off a chain reaction in the industry. Ford said Wednesday that by 2030, all its passenger cars sold in Europe would run solely on batteries. Jaguar Land Rover said Monday that all its Jaguar luxury cars and 60 percent of Land Rover luxury S.U.V.s would run solely on batteries by 2030. Mr. Källenius has avoided making a similar declaration. In many markets where the company is active, there is no infrastructure for electric cars, he pointed out. Therefore, a vow of fossil-fuel abstinence “is not something we should do just to get a headline,” he said. But all future Mercedes-Benz models will be designed to be electric, Mr. Källenius said. “Our technology path is clear,” he said. “We are going to take a leading position. It’s a tad too early to pick a date for the world when the last combustion engine will leave the production line.” Investors seem to be rewarding carmakers that show they can build electric cars. Shares of Ford, whose Mustang Mach-E has gotten good reviews, have doubled since hitting their nadir in March. Shares of the French carmaker Renault have also more than doubled since then; its affordable Zoe subcompact was the best-selling battery-powered car in Europe last year. Daimler will begin selling several new electric vehicles this year, including the Mercedes-Benz EQS, a counterpart to the company’s top-of-the-line S Class car. The EQS will go on sale in the summer for a starting price probably above $100,000. “Gradually the financial market is starting to look at our technology portfolio, and everything we have in the pipeline,” Mr. Källenius said. So far, electric cars are nowhere near as profitable for Daimler and other traditional carmakers as gasoline models. Battery systems are more costly than conventional engines and transmissions, and automakers are still learning how to manufacture electric cars efficiently. It will take time to achieve the profit margins “we’re used to on the internal combustion side,” Mr. Källenius said. Daimler’s unexpectedly healthy profit in 2020 was the result of old-fashioned cost-cutting rather than any technological breakthrough. The company reduced its work force by 7,000 employees, or 4 percent, and cut the research and development budget, which Mr. Källenius said was still big compared with competitors. When the pandemic struck, Daimler quickly dialed back production so it was not stuck with unsold vehicles, Mr. Källenius said. Even after the sharp gains in their share prices, Daimler and G.M. are still worth only about one-tenth as much on the stock market as Tesla, which makes only a tiny fraction as many vehicles. Investors are dazzled by Elon Musk, the Tesla chief executive, and have more faith in a company that makes nothing but electric cars. As Mr. Källenius conceded, the dinosaurs still have a lot of convincing to do before investors will believe they have as much potential. “The financial market is going to wait and see a little bit,” he said. “How is this going to play out?

High Blood Cholesterol is a condition that can affect anyone. It is a serious condition that increases the risk for heart disease as it is understood that - the higher your blood cholesterol level - the greater is your risk of developing the cardio-vascular disease. Thankfully, there are steps one can take to lower the blood cholesterol levels and thereby decrease the chances of heart disease. All you need to do is follow the doctor's advice on medicines to take and carry out Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes - or TLC and make heart-healthy choices in your food plan. What is Cholesterol? Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in the walls of cells in all parts of the body, right from the nervous system to the liver to the heart - and it is used to make hormones, bile acid, Vitamin D, and other substances. Now since these fatty cholesterol molecules cannot stream around in the body on their own through the blood as its oily nature does not gel with watery blood, the cholesterol travels in packages called lipoproteins which have fat (lipid) inside and protein outside. There are 2 kinds of lipoproteins. Low-density lipoprotein or LDL: Also called the bad cholesterol as it carries cholesterol to tissues - including arteries. The more the LDL, the higher the risk for heart disease. High-density lipoprotein or HDL: Also called the "good" cholesterol as it takes cholesterol from tissues to the liver, which then removes it from the body. A low level of HDL makes one more susceptible to acquiring heart disease. Excess cholesterol from the blood can get trapped in the arteries, including the coronary artery that goes to the heart. When these cholesterol deposits stick on the inner side of the blood vessels, they can create blockages to blood flow by the plaque formation. This can decrease the oxygen supply and flow of nutrients to the heart - ultimately causing a heart attack. A note of caution: Consult your doctor before you begin to make any of the changes that are advised here. Proceed only after your doctor's advice to do so. No medication should ever be taken except under the guidance and advice of a medical expert. On the doctor's advice you can combine cholesterol-lowering drugs treatment with lifestyle changes and reduce the risk of heart disease. Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) to lower cholesterol: Check with your doctor if you are overweight and need to reduce. Get a diet and exercise plan. Create a food diary and meal chart. Plan your meal ahead of the time, note down what you are eating. Watch portion sizes. Get your Body Mass Index - the ratio of your weight to your height checked and in what category of BMI you fall into. That will help you know if you are underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese. Check with your doctor what is the normal desirable) weight for you. Obesity is a condition that negatively affects the body's immune response to diseases. Know the calories and fat content of the food you eat. Check the contents of products as declared on the label. If your doctor has asked you to consume less of a nutrient such as saturated fat, cholesterol, or sodium), choose foods with a lower per cent daily value - and if you have been asked to consume more fibre, ensure that it is followed. If low salt and low-fat consumption directions are making your food bland, you can spice it up with healthy, permitted spices. Add spices and herbs to meals while cooking to make them tastier. As long as your doctor has not warned you against and unless you are allergic to any spices, you can spice up meals with the combinations suggested below. Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg etc go well with carrots. Potatoes taste better with garlic, onion, paprika, parsley, sage etc. Onion and pepper go well with greens. Tomatoes go well with basil and bay leaves, onion, oregano, parsley etc. Similarly, add curry powder to the met or lamb, garlic, mint etc. as well. Ginger and oregano, rosemary and thyme go well with chicken. And so on. Unless your doctor has told you otherwise, try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity such as a brisk walk - preferably on all days of the week. Other activities you can take up are dancing, bicycling 5 miles in 30 minutes), gardening, house-cleaning. More intense activities include jogging, swimming, aerobic exercises, playing basketball, football, tennis etc. Involve your family, friends: It's a good idea to talk about your plans for the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes with members of your family, or friends. Choose to involve anyone who supports you and understands your need to make the changes. For example, your spouse can help you make healthier meal plans. Make salads and let everyone choose how much of the nuts, seeds, raisins, or fruits to add to their serving. Reward yourself for the progress you make on TLC. But the reward should not be a food item. Tell yourself: "When I reach my goal this (day/week/month) I shall treat myself to a well-deserved (fill in a non-food reward such as a book, a movie, a massage etc)." Slipped off the TLC wagon? Nevermind. Dust off the failure or slip-up and get started again. Figure out what you did wrong. Did you eat the wrong foods at the party? Everyone has a slip-up once in a while. Changing your lifestyle is a long-term process. Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

W When Tahar Rahim was approached to star in The Mauritanian, Kevin Macdonald's biopic about the 14-year imprisonment without charge of Guantánamo Bay detainee Mohamedou Ould Slahi, he knew as much about the US prison camp as the average Western audience the film was being made for. Rahim had heard the news stories about the US Naval Base in Cuba where guards were reportedly mistreating prisoners but honestly, he couldn’t imagine that "a country like America would let soldiers treat human beings in such a way." But after signing on to the film, based on Slahi's memoir, Guantánamo Diary, the French-Algerian actor did his research and everything changed. Before 9/11, the most high-profile screen representation of Guantánamo Bay was in the 1992 movie A Few Good Men. Adapted by Aaron Sorkin from his own stage play of the same name, the legal drama pits Tom Cruise, Demi Moore and Kevin Bacon against each other as military lawyers trying a case concerning the court-martial of two US Marines charged with the murder of a fellow Marine at the naval base. It famously features the climactic courtroom cross-examination of Jack Nicholson's base commander Colonel Jessup by Cruise’s Lieutenant Kaffee. Kafee wants Jessup to admit he influenced the murder of the Marine Santiago and orchestrated the subsequent cover-up. "I want the truth!" he bellows, to which Jessup retorts, "You can’t handle the truth!" and launches into a speech about the necessary evils the military is relied upon to carry out in order to protect their nation. "Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You?" Jessup spits from the witness stand. "I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it! I would rather you just said 'thank you' and went on your way." As it turned out, it was somewhat prescient that Guantánamo Bay served as the context for Jessup to deliver this final act pontification. For ever since President George W Bush established the base as a detention centre in 2002, to house accused Islamic terrorists believed to have been involved in the 11 September attacks on the US, the site nicknamed 'Gitmo' has been at the centre of a fierce debate about the powers of the US military and the belief that the ends justify the means. Sorting the evidence on screen It's a discussion that has long carried through into film and TV also. In 2005 US cable channel PBS aired one of the first documentaries to look behind the scenes of Guantánamo Bay, The Torture Question, which was part of its Frontline strand. It examined the Bush administration's efforts to create a legal framework for the enhanced interrogation techniques used on detainees at Guantánamo Bay, as well as US bases in Afghanistan and Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison. Similarly, Gitmo – The New Rules of War (2006), Taxi to the Dark Side (2007), Explorer: Inside Guantánamo (2009) and The Guantánamo Trap (2011) all offer testimonials from former detainees, military officials, whistleblowers, lawyers and others to paint a picture of how the controversial methods came into play against the 780 men, primarily of Middle Eastern, South Asian and North African descent, who have been imprisoned by the US government over the last 18 years there. Documentaries have certainly outnumbered narrative features on the subject but British director Michael Winterbottom married both types of storytelling for his 2006 docudrama The Road to Guantánamo. The filmmaker provided a platform for the so-called 'Tipton Three' to recount the events that led to their 2001 capture in Afghanistan, and subsequent incarceration for two years at the base, while employing actors, including Riz Ahmed in his first film role, to dramatise their ordeal. Winterbottom's film is a rarity in that it offers the perspectives of Ruhal Ahmed, Asif Iqbal and Shafiq Rasul only, rather than those of either their captors or their legal saviours. However two of the other key feature films about Guantánamo, Camp X-Ray (2014) and The Report (2019), both focus far more on the white US perspective. In addition to placing these men beyond the reach of US law, imprisoning them at Guantánamo placed them beyond the reach of the US imagination – Daphne Eviatar The former indie film offers up a fictional story focused on a female soldier stationed at the base, played by Kristen Stewart, who slowly becomes disillusioned with her command after witnessing the inhumane treatment of detainees and befriending one in particular: Ali Amir (Peyman Moaadi) a German-born, Muslim man who is kidnapped from his home in Bremen at the beginning of the film. Ali is positioned as a sort of 'noble savage'; his love of Harry Potter and progressive nature towards women sets him apart from his uncivilised, captive brethren, who are frothing with misogynistic rage and intolerance in comparison. But while Camp X-Ray perpetuates negative stereotypes about Muslim detainees, The Report dehumanises them entirely. Scott Z Burns' legal drama is based on the true story of Dan Jones, played by Adam Driver, the lead investigator on the Senate Intelligence Committee's torture report, which documented the CIA's rendition, detention, and interrogation program from 2002 to 2008. Jones is portrayed as the 'white knight' exposing the American public to the truth about torture practices, including waterboarding, that were used against accused al-Qaeda members like Abu Zubaydah (Zuhdi Boueri). Reportedly the first prisoner to undergo enhanced interrogation techniques, following his capture in Pakistan in 2002, Zubaydah continues to be detained without trial by the US authorities. However, Burns' depiction of the experiences of the Saudi-born Palestinian, whose birth name is Zayn al-Abidin Muhammad Husayn, is harrowing but superficial. Zubaydah is simultaneously portrayed as a one-dimensional villain and a nondescript punching bag for the CIA. This causes an empathy gap to develop between him and the viewer, who cannot possibly identify with the visceral trauma the camera is forcing them to watch. Daphne Eviatar, Amnesty International USA's Security with Human Rights Director, says too often these narrative features fail to portray the detainees as human beings. "It's difficult to provide enough context and understanding of their daily lives when that's only the background portion of a one-two hour film, Eviatar tells BBC Culture. "Forty men are still detained indefinitely there and most Americans have no sense of who these men are [and] no understanding of the places and cultures they came from or how they could have been seized and handed over to [US] authorities for corrupt or political purposes. "In addition to placing these men beyond the reach of US law, imprisoning them at Guantánamo placed them beyond the reach of the US imagination." The 'white saviour' problem With their sympathetic portrayals of US soldiers and lawmakers trying to help the detainees, both of the aforementioned dramas can also be viewed as part of the much-criticised tradition of so-called 'white saviour' films, which focus on white protagonists who come to the aid of people of colour, and centre on the former at the expense of the latter. The Mauritanian also conforms to this stock narrative, though only up to a point. Focusing on Slahi's harrowing journey from his homeland of Mauritania, where he was arrested two months after 9/11 and accused of working for al-Qaeda, to Guantánamo Bay, it also makes substantial room for the US legal forces working for and against him in the name of justice: Jodie Foster as defence attorney Nancy Hollander, fighting for her client's freedom, and Benedict Cumberbatch as military prosecutor Lt Colonel Stuart Couch, fighting for the death penalty against Slahi until new evidence comes to light. However while they provide white star power, they wanted to limit their screen time, according to production designer Michael Carlin. "Usually actors try and make their parts bigger but in this case, it was almost the opposite effect," Carlin tells BBC Culture. "They didn't want to do anything that would take away from Mohamedou's story because that's why they made the film. They didn't make it for money." Slahi was accused of terrorism because he had once supported al-Qaeda during the 1980s Afghanistan insurrection but after several years of physical and psychological torture at the prison camp, Hollander helped him to win a ruling of unlawful detention by the US government. He was never charged with a crime but was locked away for a further six years before his 2016 release, and neither Foster nor Cumberbatch wanted to steal focus from his ordeal. Slahi trusted Macdonald not just because of his background in making factual documentaries like Touching the Void (2003) and Marley (2012) but because of his experience in Africa making the Oscar-nominated biopic The Last King of Scotland (2006) starring Forest Whitaker as Ugandan President Idi Amin. "That movie was so convincing," the author says. The film relied as much on Slahi himself to bring a visual authenticity to his story as it did on his memoir to inform the script. The former detainee was able to provide detailed descriptions to Macdonald and Carlin about his Guantánamo isolation, using his body to give exact measurements of the tiny cages and cells he was held in so that they could replicate the camp in composite sets built by army engineers in Cape Town, South Africa. In recreating Guantánamo, the production relied on agency photos of the site, images soldiers had posted online and supposed military documents and manuals sourced by military advisors but Slahi was able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Mohamedou won his case, he's innocent and these movies are testimonies for the next generation – Tahar Rahim "Some of the military advisors that we use in the film industry are more like military fetishists so their information needs to be taken with a pinch of salt but Mohamedou was able to help me catalogue it [all] so we knew which photos were real, which were not, and which were appropriate to his story," Carlin says. "The whole thing is about deprivation and that is what we were trying to get at." A humane depiction What the film's creative team didn’t want to do is fall into the trap of framing Slahi as anything less than a human being. The Mauritanian does portray some of the harsh treatment he experienced but as soon as torture enters the narrative, the audience is transported into Slahi's memories of his life before his detention. "As soon as you torture a character they become unsympathetic, which is bizarre," Carlin says. "But we didn't want to make torture porn so Kevin and the writers take him out of that space when those horrible things were happening and into his past which enables you to keep seeing him as a human being." Rahim spent time with Slahi to both understand his experiences, and get a hold on his personality and mannerisms, but felt "stupid" about some of the questions he asked. "I talked about what happened over there and saw the PTSD on his face and I felt bad," the actor recalls. "I was like, I don't want to do this, he has been suffering for too long so I stopped and started to talk about [other] things so I can know him for his personality, the way he moves, the way he talks, the way he answers questions, the way he cracks jokes. It helped me to infuse him in me." of the many Muslim terrorist characters created for film and TV over the last 20 years. But reading the script for The Mauritanian, he found it to be one of the few that had a "sympathetic Muslim character at the heart of an American movie," and felt empowered to come on board the project as a result. "I needed to know that [Slahi] is innocent because if he was a terrorist I don’t think I would have done this movie," Rahim says. "I'm not saying that there are no terrorists. A small fraction of these people are taking the whole attention and we don’t even see the others and these people are suffering as much." "Mohamedou won his case, he’s innocent and these movies are testimonies for the next generation," the actor adds. "I don't care if the director is white or black or Asian. These movies need to be told [and] these histories shown to audiences or we are doomed to repeat it." My movie is a victory for non-violence, it's a victory of the pen – Mohamedou Ould Slahi Slahi does not want to relive the worst moments of his captivity and so has avoided watching the most traumatic scenes in the film. But, now his book has been turned into a major feature film, he believes it is a clear example of the pen being mightier than the sword. "I don’t believe in violence but my whole story was violence against my body, my innocence, members of my family and I never did anything to the US," he says. "My movie is a victory for non-violence, it's a victory of the pen." The fact is, however, that while many feature films, documentaries, TV shows, books and news reports have shown the reality of the prison camp, it still remains open. The Obama administration promised to close it and failed. Now President Biden has said he aims to close it before his first term finishes. So with a new president in the Oval Office, could The Mauritanian be the Guantánamo Bay movie to herald the end of the detention centre? Rahim wants audiences to take away the message of "hope and forgiveness over anger," while Eviatar says, "any films that depict the tragedy of Guantánamo, the unjust and often haphazard way many men ended up there and thereby put pressure on the US government to close it down, is doing a great service." Slahi, who continues to be denied entry into the US and the UK five years after his release from Guantanamo Bay with no compensation or apology, hopes the film will show the Western world that he is an innocent man and that the negative perceptions of Middle Eastern and North African citizens need to end. "I want people to know my side of the story [and] I feel humbled that it was made into a major motion picture," he says. "I don't have weapons, I don't have the police. I don't have drones to take out people but I have my words and I want to debate the negative exceptionalism [towards] the Arab world and Africa. We can't be kidnapped; we can't be tortured."

Earlier this year, Lucasfilm Games announced a new open-world Star Wars video game was in the works, and fans couldn’t be more thrilled about the prospect of exploring a galaxy far, far away. But in the meantime, Lucasfilm Games has teamed up with online and mobile game creator Zynga to deliver a new video game called Star Wars: Hunters, coming to the Nintendo Switch later this year. StarWars.com announced the upcoming Star Wars: Hunters video game with the above teaser trailer. The title is said to be a competitive arena combat game with team-based, multiplayer battles featuring an ensemble of new, original Star Wars characters. Here’s a brief synopsis for the game: Set after the fall of the Galactic Empire, Star Wars: Hunters will connect players in real time to battle in arena settings inspired by iconic Star Wars locales. Play as daring Bounty Hunters, heroes of the Rebellion, and an Imperial stormtrooper, in an action game that immerses players in fast-paced and visually stunning Star Wars conflict. The teaser trailer above shows off some of the characters you’ll be able to play as. There’s a Wookiee warrior, a Mandalorian of some kind, an Imperial Stormtrooper with some heavy weaponry, and a red lightsaber-wielding fighter. With this array of characters and the competitive arena setting, we’re guessing this is the Star Wars version of games like Fortnite. After all, just like the po[CENSORED]r online game, Star Wars: Hunters will be free to download on the Nintendo Switch (where you won’t need an online membership to play), and it will be available from the Apple App Store and Google Play. That means there will likely be in-game purchases for costumes, weapons, and other assorted gear. Douglas Reilly, VP of Lucasfilm Games, offered this up in a statement: “Star Wars: Hunters draws inspiration from classic Star Wars stories and settings, but with a look and feel that is different from anything we have done before. We’re thrilled to introduce this wildly creative cast of characters to our fans on Nintendo Switch, where they can join with their friends in thrilling battles at home or on the go.” When I first saw the teaser trailer for Star Wars: Hunters, I was hoping that this might finally be the successor to the fighting game Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi from the original PlayStation. Though it’s not remembered as one of the better Star Wars games, it was a favorite of my youth, and I’d like to see some kind of next-generation update. But despite my disappointment, I’ll be giving Star Wars: Hunters a shot whenever it arrives this year.

MSI dropped some bombs today during the transmission of its MSI Insider Show. In addition to revealing the pricing for its B560 and H510 motherboards, the company the also teased its upcoming MEG Z590 Unify/Unify-X motherboards for Rocket Lake-S processors. MSI's Unify series of motherboards are recognized for two main traits. They arrive with a pure black design that lacks RGB lighting (for those that hate RGB), and they're also heavy on overclocking features. As anticipated, MSI will be bringing the MEG Z590 Unify and Unify-X motherboards to exploit Intel's Rocket Lake-S chips. The pair of motherboards are like manna from heaven for enthusiasts that require more connectivity than what the MEG Z590I Unify has to offer. Adhering to the standard ATX form factor, the MEG Z590 Unify and Unify-X share identical specifications, except for the number of memory slots. The Unify-X will only come with two DDR4 memory slots that will ultimately help with memory overclocking, given the shorter traces. Made to compete with the best motherboards, both Unify motherboards exploit a 16-phase power delivery subsystem with power stages rated for 90A each. A pair of 8-pin EPS power connectors are present to feed the processor with more juice than it can handle. MSI didn't touch too much on the memory slots, but we expect the motherboards to easily support all of the best RAM, including memory modules faster than DDR4-5000. Despite being overclocking-oriented, the MEG Z590 Unify and Unify-X aren't short on other features either. The storage options include six normal SATA III connectors, three PCIe 4.0 x4 slots and one PCIe 3.0 x4 slot. Since multi-GPU setups are a thing of the past, the Unify motherboards only come with one PCIe 4.0 x16 expansion slot. With Rocket Lake-S, you basically have 20 high-speed PCIe 4.0 lanes at your disposal. The Unify motherboards' layout allows you to manage the PCIe 4.0 x16 expansion slot in two ways. If you decide to limit the PCIe 4.0 x16 expansion slot to x8, it opens up the opportunity for you to run the three M.2 slots at PCIe 4.0 x4. On the flipside, if you rather have your expansion slot at x16, you'll be limited to one M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 slot. The Unify motherboards' other attributes include 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet networking, Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, Lightning USB 20G (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) port and MSI's Audio Boost 5 technology.

The electric car industry is about to become the greatest thing since sliced bread… or so a lot of people would have you believe. The truth is something different. As automakers and tech start-ups fall over themselves on the incredible future of electric powered vehicles, the hype needs to be unplugged to truly understand what’s going on. Vehicles powered by electricity, rather than gasoline, may eventually come to rule to business but it’s unlikely to be anytime soon. Two august national newspapers, The New York Times NYT +1.4% NYT +1.4% and the Wall Street Journal, both ran large articles in the past few days pointing to the oncoming traffic in electric vehicles. “Electric Cars Are Gaining Ground,” the Times wrote while the Journal had a full page story on “The New Electric Vehicles Hitting the Road.” Both went on to report on how the future of these forms of transportation was now here and all we had to do was head to our local dealership to trade in our old gas guzzlers for the latest, greatest thing on four wheels. But if you read on, you saw a somewhat different portrayal of the state of the electric vehicle market. • Electric vehicle sales in the U.S. actually fell last year, dropping by about 10% the Journal said. True, the overall car industry had a tough year but one would think sales would still be rising if the hype were really true. • While every automaker and all kinds of techy start-ups are entering the market, the fact is that 80% of all electrics sold in the U.S. carry the Tesla TSLA +0.2% TSLA +0.2% brand. Its head start in the field is the four-wheeled equivalent of Amazon’s AMZN +1.2% AMZN +1.2% early domination of e-commerce while traditional retailers stood back and watched. Now competitors like Walmart WMT +1.1% WMT +1.1%, Targ TGT +1.6%et TGT +1.6% and others are in a mad dash to try to catch up, the same position most legacy auto makers now find themselves in. MORE FOR YOU Did You Get A Second Stimulus Check Today? Here’s Why Trump Signs Executive Orders To Extend COVID-19 Economic Relief, Includes Unemployment Benefits, Eviction Moratorium Biden: Stimulus Bill Passed During Lame Duck Session Is ‘At Best Just A Start’ • General Motors GM -1.1% has said it will convert its entire range of vehicles to electric power by 2035. That’s 14 model years away which is a while but right now GM’s GM -1.1% offerings border on the pathetic. This is especially ironic as GM tested an electric car called the EV1 that was in limited production in the late 1990s…25 years ago. Right now, its electric vehicles, the Chevy Bolt and Volt, have been sales embarrassments, each selling less than 5,000 units in their last full years of production. And its next electrics are probably not going to move that voltmeter much either: the Hummer SUV won’t debut until the 2022 model year and will retail for just over $110,000. The Cadillac Lyriq will show up probably the year after and be priced at about $60,000 according to reports, but the brand’s lackluster sales over the past decade aren’t hopeful for big numbers of this new model. • On the other side of the Detroit area, Ford has said it too will go electric but again its current offerings consist largely of the new Mustang Mach-E, an SUV bearing the iconic sportscar’s brand. While it is more reasonably priced — starting at around $43,000 — it is a lonely entry on the company’s model line-up that is dominated by gas-powered or hybrid pickup trucks and vans. • Other global automotive powerhouses are just barely getting into the electrics sector. Korea’s Hyundai is only launching its first EV sub-brand, Ioniq, this year even though it said it expects to sell one million electrics by 2025. Volkswagen said it is spending $42 billion on electrics over the next five years yet it too will only bring its first battery-powered SUV to the U.S. market this year. Nissan, one of the earlier makers to enter the EV market with the Leaf introduced in 2010, has pretty much dropped the ball ever since and is now counting on its new Ariya to try and pick up the slack. • Tech start-ups like Rivian and Lucid are getting lots of attention for their upcoming debuts but at $75,000 and $169,000, respectively, for their first models sales will be modest to say the least. • Big luxury brands like Audi and Mercedes Benz have new models on their way as well but they will also be in the six-figure range…for their starting prices. • Even Tesla’s newest vehicle, a pick-up called the Cybertruck, is expected to start at around $40,000 but a long-range version will be closer to $70,000 and the company has historically been loose on its pricing forecasting. The cold hard facts are that the average price of a car or light truck in the U.S. was around $38,000 last year according to Kelly Blue Book and while any new technology generally comes in at the premium end of the pricing spectrum and then gradually works its way down to more moderate levels, it is a process that takes many years. While Tesla did indeed sell nearly half a million vehicles last year, that came 11 years after it sold its first one. Meaning that these forecasts for the explosion of the EV market — the Journal calls it a “battery-powered boom” — may be overly optimistic.

Combining healthy lifestyle interventions reduces heart disease through beneficial effects on different lipoproteins and associated cholesterols, a new study suggests. The study, published in the journal eLife, indicated that combining cholesterol-lowering medications and lifestyle interventions may yield the greatest benefits to heart health. "Until now, no studies have compared the lipid-lowering effects of cholesterol-lowering medications and healthy lifestyle interventions side by side," said lead author Jiahui Si, from Harvard University in the US. Cholesterol-lowering medications such as statins help reduce heart risks by lowering levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the so-called "bad" cholesterol. Healthy lifestyle interventions, including exercising regularly, having a healthy diet, lowering alcohol consumption and maintaining a healthy weight, have also been shown to lower LDL as well as increase "healthy" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. For the study, the team used a technique to measure 61 different lipid markers in blood samples from 4,681 participants, including cases of stroke, coronary heart disease and healthy individuals. They studied lipid markers in the blood of participants who had multiple healthy lifestyle habits and compared them to those of participants with less healthy habits. They found 50 lipid markers associated with a healthy lifestyle. When the team looked at a subset of 927 individuals who had coronary heart disease in the next 10 years and 1,513 healthy individuals, they found 35 lipid markers that showed statistically significant mediation effects in the pathway from healthy lifestyles to the reduction of heart disease. Together, the combined beneficial effects of the lipid changes associated with healthy lifestyle practices were linked to a 14 per cent reduced risk of heart disease, the team said. Specifically, very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and HDL levels in the blood were linked to the heart-protecting benefits of healthy lifestyles, they added. Overall, they found that taking cholesterol-lowering medications and engaging in multiple healthy lifestyles would likely help individuals to achieve the greatest heart-protecting benefits because of the complementary effects of the drugs and healthy behaviours.

We’ve all got twenty four hours in a day, but for some highly productive people, you would think they had thirty six hours in their day. Canadian-born serial entrepreneur, software engineer, journalist, and radio host, Michael Peres, is one of the few people with the ability to maximize his time and engage in a remarkable number of productive activities in a day. Mikey Peres, just 31 years old, operates five tech and media startups, which includes a software development firm, news sites such as Peres Daily News, and a digital marketing agency. He is also the radio host of The Michael Peres Podcast and the pioneer of the Breaking 9 To 5 work model. Getting to this point was not easy. At the age of nine, he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). School was tough, but Peres was able to discover his passions and build a system of learning that worked for him. Today, he is championing a fresh approach to entrepreneurship where people can learn to build toward their dreams with a limitless, no-restrictions approach. From passion to business When Peres was a teenager, he discovered his love of computers. He was able to tap into a wireless router to bring the internet into his home. He spent a great deal of his time surfing the internet and learning everything he could about computers. By the time he graduated from high school, he built and repaired over 300 computer systems for his school and a nearby girls’ school. Later, after getting a degree in computer science and mathematics, and teaching himself web design and development, he began to build websites for a growing list of customers. He saw an opportunity to formalize the thriving business and turn it into a real company. In 2017, Hexa Tiger was established. MORE FOR YOU Why Startups Are Leaving Silicon Valley For Tampa: An Interview With Tampa’s First Lady Ana Cruz How To Consider A Portfolio Career For The New Normal In 2020 How Outsourcing Key Functions Can Give Your Startup A Competitive Edge At first, it was just Peres developing websites by himself but today, Hexa Tiger has a team of seven people that develop and maintain custom WordPress websites. When talking about how he grew the business organically, he explained “I was heavily focused on making an impression rather than getting clients.” Eventually, he saw an opportunity to tap into a market complementary to web development. After developing websites, Peres would refer his clients to web hosting companies when it was time to go live with the sites. He figured that he could redirect these funds to himself if he offered the same service as an expansion of the already existing company. Later in 2017, Hecto Fox, a cloud computing and hosting firm for Wordpress systems, was established. However, he had to learn to manage his time between two businesses. Peres explains, “Hexa Tiger was already up and running smoothly on its feet, covering our survival costs without consuming a lot of our time. This is a crucial hurdle for me to jump to operate as an entrepreneur and free up my mental capital for longer-term, more fruitful projects.” The investment paid off. His web hosting business is now a team of four with 350 clients. Moreover, given the monthly recurring revenue of a web hosting business, Peres was able to create a dependable, steady and growing revenue stream that more than covered his cost of living, freeing him up to think more entrepreneurially. No limits, no restrictions While growing these businesses, Peres traveled around the world. He closed several deals on plane seats or in the back of a car, and would code websites while seated around a campfire. Soon he discovered the importance of networking and meeting people in high places, and saw opportunities in the digital marketing industry. In 2018, with clients already from his other businesses, Hexa Web was founded, offering brand consulting, advertisement, social media marketing, SEO marketing, and content creation services. Turning ADHD into a strength His early struggles with ADHD taught him to work on his own terms and with a system where he was in charge of his time and energy. Peres never liked to be defined by this disorder but always attributes much of his success to the early realization that he could weaponize something everyone believed was a limitation. He could think differently, see the world from a unique point of view, and harness insights in a way that almost always yielded results. "I work my ADHD to my favor by not fighting it, but building on the less noticed advantages," Peres said. "Because I can’t focus on doing one thing at a time, I built on a more natural foundation by perfecting the art of multitasking. I could be coding two websites while listening to a documentary, monitoring the stock market, and responding to emails." Effectively, he took advantage of his condition so he could focus on multiple tasks simultaneously, optimizing his time and achieving more than the average person in a day. Over the years, Peres has worked hard to understand the best methods and conditions that enable his productivity. For instance, he never forces himself to sleep at conventional hours. Instead, he works until his body indicates it’s time to rest. By understanding how his mind works, he's learned to take complete advantage of it. He regularly goes for one to three mile sprints every few work hours. To address his need to always do different things, Peres explains, “ I would constantly switch my settings and expose myself to new people, a habit that has inspired my travel lifestyle." In 2019, inspired by his unusual methods of operating, Peres started the Breaking 9 to 5 work model, an entrepreneurial concept that encourages business people to work on their own terms without any of the typical constraints, such as time and location. Breaking 9 to 5 was born out of the methods Peres created for working around his ADHD and finding solutions to thrive on his own terms. It’a guide for entrepreneurs to learn everything about Peres' approach to business and getting in the right mindset. With a growing website and a soon-to-be-released book on the concept, the Breaking 9 to 5 brand is run by a team of five people passionate about pushing entrepreneurship to a brand-new level of productive freedom. They also deliver tips for entrepreneurs and interview business leaders. Never get complacent By pursuing his interests, and being self-aware to learn how his mind best works, Peres has become a successful entrepreneur. His ADHD has become a vessel for entrepreneurial energy needed to overcome the challenges of growing a business. Peres explains, “I’m always operating like it’s my first week on the job. I've become addicted to the challenges and growing pains, and I stay excited for what’s ahead.”

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With the latest VALORANT patch, the first-round Frenzy-and-armor meta has been stopped dead in its tracks. Patch 2.03 comes with a collection of updates to three weapons in the form of nerfs to the Stinger, buffs to the Marshal, and a price increase for the Frenzy pistol. The Frenzy pistol price has increased from 400 to 500, meaning players can no longer buy it and half-armor in the opening round. The high-capacity pistol experienced no other changes other than its price increase. The Stinger SMG, however, received more than just a price change. Other than an increase from 1,000 credits to 1,100, the po[CENSORED]r early-round gun has had both its full auto fire and burst fire modes nerfed. The full-auto fire rate has been reduced from 18 to 16 and it reaches its max bullet spread on the fourth bullet instead of the sixth. Additionally, recoil now climbs more aggressively past the third bullet. Essentially, full auto becomes way more inaccurate much quicker. As for the burst-fire mode, its recoil becomes more aggressive after its first burst. And each burst after the first has more errors. To counteract this, the recovery time on burst mode has improved from 0.45 to 0.4. Finally, the Marshal sniper rifle has received a buff to its zoomed movement speed and zoom magnification, as well as a price reduction. It now costs 1,000 instead of 1,100, zoomed movement speed is now 90 percent of normal speed instead of 76 percent, and the magnification zoom has increased from 2.5x to 3.5x. Expect to see fewer Stingers and Frenzy rushes and more Marshal buys in the near future.

Now more than ever, tools that enable greater productivity and collaboration throughout the software development process for user interfaces (UI) are crucial, especially as the number of IoT connected devices is expected to increase to 43 billion in 2023, and the software that powers them becomes more complex. User interfaces play a crucial role in bringing devices to life and providing the user with out-of-this-world experiences, but as this demand increases, so will the pressure on developers to keep up. This can become a real problem if developers are overloaded and caught up in inefficient workflows – unfortunately, a common issue. What’s the solution, you may ask? We must bridge the gap between users, devices and developers. To do this, we need to dissect the challenges and roadblocks that could get in the way of achieving unification, including the rapid digital transformation we’ve experienced as a collective following the Covid-19 pandemic. The future of software – and the impact on software development The impact of rapid digital transformation The pace at which society has transformed digitally over the last year is astonishing. In the business world, we saw two years’ worth of transformation within a matter of months, according to the chief executive of Microsoft, Satya Nadella. This means that organizations and their workforces have been able to work more productively, collaborate more easily and connect with colleagues at a click of a button or the tap of a keyboard. And at home, we have interacted with more technologies than ever to connect with our friends and family, wherever they are in the world. None of this would be possible though without the software that powers these technologies and user interfaces embedded into these devices. However, this digital shift means that there is even greater pressure to create the very best user experience – one that is frictionless and user-friendly ensuring technologies fit seamlessly into everyday life. The advancements of software Over the last few years in the software development world, we have seen a clear shift and desire to move from 2D to 3D, as well as demand for virtual and augmented reality environments. These technologies bring countless benefits to the user – whether it be giving them an idea of what their house might look like painted in a different color, or experiencing what it’s like to fly a plane, or even just have some good old plain fun waving a sabre about to the beat of a song. The caveat here though is that the demand for technologies that offer these new, immersive experiences brings greater complexity to the software development process. And when this process isn’t beginning from a unified and optimized start point, it can be hard for developers to keep up and create software that offers the best user experience. Keeping up with the pace of transformation as well as the rise of new technologies will be a difficult feat for organizations that develop or integrate user interface software into their products – particularly as software becomes more complex. It is possible to achieve though, creating software that is not only great for the user, but also easier and fun for the developer. So, how can you unify and make the development process more enjoyable for developers? Below are a few things you can do to achieve this. Efficient workflows While the creation of software should never be rushed, it’s crucial to have efficient workflows and tools that enable greater productivity. When you have siloed workflows, your developers will not be able to work at their best and this can result in prolonged development time frames. Inefficient processes where developers aren’t getting the most out of their tools can also have an impact on the quality of the end product, and result in unhappy users and developers when they are forced to go back to square one. Unifying the developer and designer Traditionally, the process for developing user interface software involves designers and developers – often, this process can become muddled and lack cohesion. There are tools though that can help unify these two functions, reducing the time it takes to develop the software, allowing more time to refine and ensure the best user experience. Taking a software-centric approach to product creation Many products today are still being created in a model where software comes as an afterthought. Hardware design choices are being taken without considering the software or user experience the software is supposed to enable. Those choices then often severely limit your options on the software side and lead to sub-par user experiences. Taking software requirements into account at the very start of the product lifecycle can significantly reduce those problems. Why are ‘no code’ and ‘low code’ software development platforms on the rise? Make your software re-usable Re-using software in different products or product versions can lead to significant savings in both research and development efforts, as well as time-to-market. Using standard tools and frameworks that support the whole range of your products as well as building your own software in a way that is re-usable across product lines will make a huge difference in how easy it is for your organization to create new products. A world of opportunity for developers and users The software world will never stand still, nor will the demand for connected devices that provide users the seamless, efficient and impressive experiences they have come to expect. Therefore, developers need to be able to keep up and bridge the gap between the demand and software needed to fulfil our technological needs. Insight and collaboration plays a big part in this, and ultimately creates a better product that is easier and more fun to develop.

A report has emerged that Adata has altered its XPG SX8200 Pro again by swapping in SK Hynix flash, making this the fourth known SSD configuration. According to the report, the latest revision is purportedly 23.6% percent slower in sequential read speed than the previous revision, and it also takes a 14.3% haircut in sequential write performance. As before, Adata ships this drive with the same model number as the original SSD. Adata’s XPG SX8200 Pro was once hailed as the best SSD in its category in terms of offering the best bang for your buck. Unfortunately, the SSD also received its fair share of bad press as Adata switched out the original components for slower parts, without publicizing the change. While swapping out different types of flash certainly isn't unheard of, Adata's tactic involved swapping the SSD controller, a first. In addition to the original SX8200 Pro, our testing identified two more revisions that delivered substantially lower performance than the original SSD. Now it appears that Adata has quietly revamped the SX8200 Pro again. Redditor svartchimpans recently purchased an SX8200 Pro that doesn't match the specs of any previous revisions we've tested. That means there could now be a total of four different variants of the SX8200 Pro. However, given the timeframe, we don't expect to find the original SX8200 Pro anymore. As a quick recap, the original SX8200 Pro had a Silicon Motion SM2262ENG SSD controller clocked at 650 MHz with IMFT 64-layer TLC (triple-level cell) NAND. The other versions shipped with the slower Silicon Motion SM2262G controller at 575 MHz. The type of NAND you received varied depending on the SSD lottery. Some arrived with Micron 96-layer TLC NAND, while others came with Samsung 64-layer TLC NAND. The fourth and latest variant reportedly retained the SM2262G controller but used SK Hynix's 96-layer TLC NAND. The Redditor purchased his three SX8200 Pro 2TB drives at the same retailer with the same product number at different points in time. Because the model number is always listed as "SX8200 Pro," there really is no way of finding out which variant you're buying until you actually have the drive in your hands and benchmark it. In fairness, Adata doesn't guarantee a specific SSD controller or type of flash for its SX8200 Pro. That's understandable, because companies don't always have access to all the original components to manufacture their products, and sometimes it's necessary to use substitutes. However, in this case, the new components seem to have had a negative effect on performance. For reference, the SX8200 Pro is rated for sequential read and write speeds up to 3,500 MBps and 3,000 MBps, respectively, and random read and write speeds Synthetic benchmarks don't always paint the entire picture, and we would need to thoroughly test the new revision to see how much slower it is compared to the other three variants. According to the Redditor's results, however, the SX8200 Pro with Samsung 64-layer NAND (the previous revision) delivered up to 30.8% and 16.7% higher sequential read and write speeds than the latest variant that comes with SK Hynix 96-layer NAND. Keep in mind that the user was testing the two other drives that he bought with nearly all of the capacity used while the SK hynix-powered version was empty. A full drive is always much, much slower than an empty one. So the delta between the drives would be further apart if they were all at the same usage level. For instance, the empty drive with SK Hynix flash delivered 2.8% higher sequential read performance than the 94% full drive with Samsung flash. However, the latter still pumped out 7.6% higher sequential writes than the empty drive with SK hynix flash. Performance is just one side of the coin, though. It remains to be seen whether the new NAND will impact the SX8200 Pro's endurance. The SX8200 Pro is available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacities. Adata rated the original drives with endurance ratings of 160TBW, 320TBW, 640TBW and 1,280TBW. Given that Adata hasn't modified these values in the specification sheet, we can only assume that the SK Hynix drives should be as durable as the original ones.

The all-new Mahindra XUV500 and Scorpio, which are slated for launch in India in the coming months, might be delayed due to the current global shortage of semiconductor chips. Semiconductor chips are used for manufacturing ECUs (Engine Control Units) and other car electronics. The shortage is caused by high demand for consumer electronics and new cars. Mahindra expects the supply shortage to spill Q2 2021. New XUV500 and Scorpio will be launched within 2021. Global semiconductors shortage Over the past few months, there has been a global shortage of semiconductor computer chips. This shortage has disrupted the automotive industry’s supply chain and is impacting car manufacturing all around the globe. The reason this shortage is causing setbacks to automotive manufacturers is that, in today’s day-and-age, semiconductors chips are a crucial component for modern infotainment systems, ECUs, driver aids and other electronic components. Without the chips, these vital components can’t be manufactured and fitted to the cars, hence halting the car’s production. Another reason semiconductor chips are currently in high demand is that, in addition to being crucial for the auto industry, it is also required for a number of consumer electronic devices, such as gaming consoles, laptops, desktops and tablets, to name a few. The fact that there has been strong demand for new cars off late, along with the high pandemic-driven demand for consumer electronics, means the shortage has been even more pronounce. Mahindra – like many other automakers – has also been impacted by this global shortage of semiconductor computer chips. Due to the shortage, there is a high possibility that the launch of the upcoming second-gen XUV500 and all-new Scorpio could be delayed. Especially considering that Mahindra is expecting this shortage to spill into the second quarter of 2021, meaning it will take even longer to get the various electronic components in place, before manufacturing the new SUVs can begin. 2021 Mahindra XUV500 details Mahindra’s second-gen XUV500 is going to feature new interior and exterior styling. It will also come equipped with a lengthy features list, including two flush-mounted horizontal screens – one for the instrument cluster and one for the infotainment system (like in a Mercedes E-class) – a panoramic sunroof and the much talked about Level 2 Autonomous Driving Assist Systems (ADAS) to name a few. The new XUV500 will be built on a stiffer monocoque platform that will be longer and wider than the current model. It will also get two engine options – a 180hp, 2.2-litre turbo-diesel and a 190hp, 2.0-litre turbo-petrol. Both engines are expected to get the choice of either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic, and an all-wheel-drive system is also likely to be offered on higher trims. 2021 Mahindra Scorpio details The all-new Mahindra Scorpio will feature a completely fresh exterior design, too, that will retain the upright and boxy silhouette of the older models. Its interior will also get a major overhaul and is expected to be more premium than the current model. The new Scorpio will sit on an updated ladder-frame chassis and will be both, wider and longer than the outgoing model. Under the hood, the new Scorpio will come with a 140hp, 2.2-litre turbo-diesel and a new 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine. Other Mahindra launches in 2021 Besides the two models mentioned above, Mahindra is also working on the Bolero Neo, which will be based on the TUV300. The Bolero Neo is expected to be positioned slightly above the standard Bolero in Mahindra’s line-up. Another model set to be updated is the XUV300, which will be getting a new 130hp, 1.2-litre, turbo-petrol from Mahindra’s mStallion family. This configuration was previewed in the XUV300 Sportz that was showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo.

ISLAMABAD: India is trying to present a false and misleading narrative on the situation in occupied Kashmir by taking foreign diplomats on a tour of the Valley, the Foreign Office said on Monday. Spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, commenting on a trip being arranged for diplomats based in New Delhi, said it was a part of India’s “efforts to mislead the world community”. India plans to take a group of diplomats from European and Gulf countries to occupied Jammu and Kashmir on February 17 and 18 to give an impression of normalcy in the Valley, which has been under unprecedented restrictions since the region was stripped of its autonomy in August 2019The visit follows the restoration of 4G internet services in occupied Kashmir after an 18-month-long ban. This would be the third such visit by foreign diplomats since the annexation. These visits are tightly controlled and leave little room for making an independent judgement of the situation. The previous two trips were made in January and February last year. During these trips the diplomats get to meet government officials, security personnel and supporters of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. “Such guided tours are a smokescreen aimed at diverting international attention from India’s egregious human rights violations in IIOJK (Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir), and creating a false impression of normalcy,” the spokesman said The visit would mean nothing if there is no access to all the areas and possibility to freely interact with Kashmiri people and the civil society in an atmosphere free of intimidation,” he added. The spokesman emphasised that foreign diplomats should be given an opportunity to meet the Hurriyat leadership, many of whom are incarcerated, to enable them to make an objective assessment of the ground realities. “The Indian notion of so-called normalcy in IIOJK has no feet to stand on.” Mr Chaudhri once again called on India to allow the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations observers, the OIC’s Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission, international human rights and civil society organisations; and the international media to visit IIOJK and assess the situation on the ground.

Quorum Software has announced a merger with fellow Thoma Bravo subsidiary Aucerna, along with the acquisition of Tieto EVRY's Oil and Gas software business The new combined business, to operate as Quorum Software going forward, looks to focus on driving digital transformation and complementary customer offerings in the energy sector. Alongside with the merger, the acquisition of TietoEVRY‘s Oil and Gas software division aims to combine complementary workflows, mission-critical technologies and global expertise, as well as bolstering the organisation’s bid to lead the energy software industry. Following confirmation of the deal, Gene Austin will continue to serve as CEO of Quorum Software, while Wayne Sim, CEO and co-founder of Aucerna, will be appointed to its board of directors. The combined company will serve more than 1,800 energy customers across 55 countries. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Quorum Software will have offices located throughout North America, LATAM, Europe, the Middle East and APAC. Additionally, presence is set to continue in Calgary, Alberta, the headquarters of Aucerna, and in Norway, the Energy Components and DaWinci software headquarters. “Over the last 20 years, Quorum has become the leading innovator of software deployed by North American energy companies,” said Gene Austin, CEO of Quorum Software. “Today Quorum is expanding the scope of our technology and expertise to all energy-producing regions of the globe. Customers everywhere will have access to a cloud technology ecosystem that connects decision-ready data from operations to the boardroom.” Wayne Sim, CEO and co-founder of Aucerna, and board member at Quantum Software, added: “Our new company will be able to deliver value to our stakeholders, while accelerating the growth of our combined business and the energy industry’s software transformation.” Scott Crabill, a managing partner at Thoma Bravo, commented: “Quorum and Aucerna are industry leaders that have each spurred significant innovation and digital transformation in the energy industry. “By combining these two fast-growing and highly complementary businesses with TietoEVRY’s Oil and Gas software business, the new Quorum will have significant global scale and an unparalleled product portfolio that meets nearly every need within the energy value chain. “We look forward to continuing to work closely with Gene, Wayne and the Quorum team in this exciting next chapter of the company’s growth story.”

When Razer announced its Tomahawk ATX chassis, the first thing that stood out to me is that it appeared to carry the same internals as the Lian Li Lancool II Mesh, a case that we awarded full marks. As such, the Tomahawk ATX is off to a good start, but there’s one big elephant in the room that we must address before we continue: this Razer chassis, despite the same foundations, costs a mighty $200 – twice the price of Lian Li’s excellence. Therefore, when Razer offered to send a sample, I was very curious to find out where the added $100 went. So without further ado, let's find out whether the Tomahawk ATX is actually worth its price tag and deserving of a spot on our Best PC Cases list, or whether you should save yourself some money and opt for the excellent Lancool II Mesh instead. Circling around the outside of the chassis, it’s clear that Razer opted for a very clean and blocky style. It’s quite appealing really, as paired with the extremely dark-tinted glass panels, the chassis has a heft, power, and mystery to it. This thing does look like a $200 case. But don’t miss me when I say heft – this is a chonky 30-pound (13.5 kg) boy. I’m not kidding when I say it was a challenge to take out of the box. Okay, so maybe I’ve been away from the gym too much in this pandemic, but all the 0.8mm thick steel and oceans of tempered glass do give the case a quality feel. It’s built like an absolute tank and that goes a long way toward justifying the price point. Both the tempered glass panels swing outwards to open up. First, you press them once to click them out, after which you can pull the door away from the magnet – or if you don’t want to get fingerprints on them, just grab the panels from below to pull them out. After opening all the way, you can lift both panels off their hinges. And with the hinges, Razer went the extra mile. Whereas the Lancool II has hinges on the outside that kind of look a little cheap, Razer designed a hinge that sits on the inside of the case, giving a much cleaner appearance on the outside – even if it’s at the back of the case.Front IO comprises USB-C (something that’s an optional extra on the Lancool II Mesh), two USB 3.0 ports, and discrete headphone and mic jacks. Turning to the inside of the chassis, on the motherboard side we find space for up to 280 mm wide E-ATX motherboards, though you’ll have to remove the cable management cover to fit such boards. Standard-width ATX boards fit best. GPUs can be up to 15.1 inches (384 mm) long and CPU coolers up to 176mm tall. The PSU shroud has a door that’s also magnetically held in place and can flip down for access. Here you’ll find a trio of 3.5-inch caddies that slide out toward you. There’s plenty of space here for large PSUs too, with supported lengths of up to 8.3 inches (210mm).Behind the motherboard tray on the other side of the case you’ll find two 2.5-inch drive bays. These can be moved to the top of the PSU shroud if you want to show off pretty SATA SSDs. You’ll also find the cable management space here with three Velcro straps and the Chroma RGB hub. This hub connects to and is powered through an internal USB 2.0 header. When it comes to cooling, I suspect things are going to get interesting with the Tomahawk ATX – and I don’t mean that in a good way. Starting with the good stuff, the case has plenty of room for fans and radiators. You can fit up to two 140mm spinners at the top, two 140mm spinners at the front (or three 120mm units in both cases), two 120mm fans on top of the PSU shroud, and one 120mm spinner at the rear exhaust location. There’s also lots of radiator space in here. Where things go sour is in the intake design and the included fans – or rather, lack thereof. From the factory, Razer only includes a single 120mm fan, and it isn’t even PWM controlled, nor does it feature any RGB. This isn’t the kind of skimping you expect to see on a $200 case.That being said, we’ve proved in the past that cases can get away with a single fan, right? Well, yes, but only if the intake is open mesh – which it isn’t here. As you can see in the images above, the front intake for the Tomahawk ATX is severely restricted, with an attempt at filtration behind the already tight perforation on the front edges.o make matters worse, the case also has a shortcut that air can take around this intake – at the bottom handhold to pull the front panel off. As such, the Tomahawk ATX doesn’t have any real airflow path, nor proper intake filtration – this system will get dirty on the inside faster than other cases.Fortunately the power supply does have a good air filter, so you won’t need to tear it apart for cleanup jobs.

Microsoft has begun pre-beta testing on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Cloud Gaming (previously known as xCloud) on web browsers. This, of course, will allow Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to easily stream Xbox games to their PC, but it should also allow Microsoft to bring cloud gaming to iOS devices via mobile web browsers (currently Xbox Game Pass Cloud Gaming is only available on Android devices due to App Store restrictions). A couple screenshots of the cloud gaming browser UI have been provided by The Verge – check them out, below. It seems as though you’ll get similar features on browsers as are currently available on Android. A simple launcher, the ability to resume recently played games, and 720p visuals running on Xbox One S hardware (Microsoft aims to upgrade to Xbox Series X later this year). As of now, it seems Xbox Game Pass Cloud Gaming will only be available through Chromium-based browsers (Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, in other words). Late last year, Microsoft promised cloud gaming would arrive on PC and iOS via web browsers in Spring 2021… Microsoft Isn’t Planning On Putting Out New Halo Wars 2 Content In Spring 2021, we will take the next step in our journey to reach more players around the world by making cloud gaming as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate available on Windows PCs through the Xbox app and browser, and iOS devices through mobile web browser. By adding over a billion devices as a path to playing in the Xbox ecosystem, we envision a seamless experience for all types of players. If early internal testing for Xbox Game Pass Cloud Gaming has already begun, it seems like Microsoft may be on track to hit that Spring 2021 goal. Expect public previews to begin sometime soon. What do you think? Will you be more likely to try out Game Pass Cloud Gaming once it’s available on PC and iOS?